Friday, April 16, 2010

This first video is a short film prequel to the actual music video. Its funny and has a kitschy 70s public access television or instructional video aesthetic.

The Apples in Stereo are part of the greatest music collective of all time, the Elephant Six Collective. Ok, so maybe they are the greatest, but the E6 Collective has made some of my favorite music. Bands like Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, The Gerbils, Elf Power, and Of Montreal (who are technically "friends of Elephant Six").

In the videos, Robert Schneider plays the bearded scientist who has harnessed the power of space and time and the genius behind The Apples in Stereo, but he is oh so much more than that. He is the also the genius behind the recording and production of the greatest album pressed, Neutral Milk Hotel's Aeroplane Over the Sea (so my love of Neutral Milk Hotel is really showing through here). He also recorded, mixed, produced NMH's On Avery Island, Olivia Tremor Control's Dusk at Cubist Castle, all of The Apples in Stereo's albums and a couple more.

The Apples in Stereo have been playing for nearly 20 years and have continued to stay relevant while still maintaining their original sound. Heavily influenced by the Beach Boys and the Beatles along with some Pink Floyd, they have created their own pysch-power-pop sound.

The video is is fun and funny. Elijah Wood, who runs a record label that is putting out the album, is a great addition in the video. Of course I was also thrilled to see all of the Elephant 6 references (Schneider's t-shirt and the name of the time machine).